Idaho NPDES Program Authorization

Contacts

Summary

On June 5, 2018, the EPA Administrator approved the application by the State of Idaho to administer and enforce the Idaho Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (IPDES) program.

Concurrent with this approval, EPA is also approving IPDES program for electronic reporting.

The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ) will administer the approved IPDES program regulating discharges of pollutants into waters of the United States under its jurisdiction.

EPA has approved the State's implementation plan that transfers the administration of specific program components from EPA to the State over a four-year period in accordance with the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between IDEQ and EPA Region 10, and subject to EPA oversight and enforcement. EPA will suspend issuance of NPDES permits in Idaho in accordance with the schedule.

EPA will retain the authority to issue NPDES permits for facilities located on tribal lands and/or discharging to tribal waters.

Public Outreach

EPA accepted public comments and testimony on Idaho's IPDES application from August 11 through October 10, 2017. Documents related to the public comment period, including EPA's responses to comments, are available at the link below.

IPDES Program Description (PDF)(443 pp, 26 MB) - Revised July 2017. Document describes how the state will issue IPDES permits, ensure compliance with permit conditions, conduct enforcement, as well as fund and manage the program including programmatic information and data.

Statement from Idaho Attorney General's Office (PDF)(92 pp, 1 MB) - August 1, 2017. Letter and supporting information confirming that the state’s laws and regulations provide sufficient authority to the state to implement the discharge, pretreatment, and biosolids components of the NPDES program.